1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens for a compact camera in which the back focal length of the lens arrangement is limited to a small size, and more precisely, it relates to a zoom lens system for a compact camera, having a wide angle of view, i.e., a half angle of view of approximately 37.degree., and a high variable power of approximately 3.
2. Description of Related Art
In a known zoom lens for a compact camera whose half angle of view is approximately 37.degree. which is a relatively wide angle for a compact camera zoom lens and that has a large magnification, there are two types of optical arrangements. The first type of optical arrangement is comprised of, for example, three groups of lenses consisting of a first negative lens group, a second positive lens group and a third negative lens group (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.3-212607), or four groups of lenses consisting of a first negative lens group, a second positive lens group, a third positive lens group and a fourth negative lens group (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-240015). In the first type of optical arrangement, the first lens group has a negative power. The second type of optical arrangement is comprised of, for example, three groups of lenses consisting of a first positive lens group, a second positive lens group and a third negative lens group (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-287507 assigned to the assignee of the present application). In either type, the lens diameter of the first lens group must be large enough to obtain a wide angle zoom lens, contrary to a need of miniaturization of the zoom lens.